Regarding the Tarāwīḥ prayer, its format, and the number of Rak῾ahs, we say with Allāh’s guidance:

Firstly: By definition, Tarāwīḥ is the plural of “Tarwīḥah,” which is a brief sitting or rest between the Rak῾ahs during the Ramaḍān night prayer. This comes as calling the factor by its effect. The term also aligns with the act of prayer in Ramaḍān as it brings comfort and nearness to Allāh. The prayer itself is a connection, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “O Bilāl, bring us comfort with it [the prayer].”

In linguistic usage, different terms are used with specific or general meanings:

• Qiyām al-Layl is a general term that includes all prayers from sunset to Fajr, as well as all forms of remembrance (Dhikr) during this time, such as reciting the Qur᾽ān, supplication, and study. All of these activities fall under the category of Qiyām al-Layl. Evidence for this is found in the verse: “O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] the night except for a little” [Al-Muzzammil: 1-2]. Since Surah Al-Muzzammil was the third to be revealed and there was no enough revealed Qur᾽ān to perform all night at that time, it implies that Qiyām included prayer and remembrance.
• Tahajjud specifically refers to the night prayer that is preceded by sleep. If a person sleeps at night and then wakes up to pray at any time during the night, they are performing Tahajjud. “And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you” [Al-᾽Isrā᾽: 79].

Secondly: The night prayer and Tahajjud have been part of Islam since its early days, as mentioned in Surah Al-Muzzammil for the Prophet and the believers. However, Tarāwīḥ prayers are specific to Ramaḍān. The earliest instance of its current form was when the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed it in the tenth year of Hijrah. He also performed it for several nights individually. He did not live to see another Ramaḍān after that. The Companions continued praying it individually until the second year of ῾Umar’s caliphate, when he gathered the people to pray behind one Imam in the manner we pray today in mosques, making it an established tradition during Ramaḍān.

Thirdly: There are differing opinions on the number of Rak῾ahs for Tarāwīḥ. Here is a summary of the main views:

1. Majority of Scholars: The majority, including the four major schools of thought, state that Tarāwīḥ consists of twenty Rak῾ahs plus Witr.
   • The Ḥanafī scholar al-Kasānī said: “῾Umar gathered the people in Ramaḍān on ᾽Ubayy ibn Ka῾b, who led them in twenty Rak῾ahs, and none of the Companions objected, indicating their consensus.”
   • The Mālikī scholar Ibn ῾Arfah al-Dusūqī stated: “This was the practice of the Companions and the followers.”
   • The Shāfi῾ī scholar al-Nawawī said: “Our view is that it is twenty Rak῾ahs with ten Taslīmat (saying Salam at the end of each pair), excluding Witr, which makes five breaks. This is the opinion of Abū Ḥanīfah, his companions, ᾽Aḥmad, Dāwūd, and others. Qāḍī ῾Iyāḍ narrated this as the majority view.”
   • The Ḥanbalī scholar Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned: “It is established that ᾽Ubayy ibn Ka῾b would lead people in twenty Rak῾ahs in Ramaḍān and then perform Witr with three (Rak῾ahs). Many scholars considered this the Sunnah because it was established among the Muhājirīn and ᾽Anṣār without objection.”
   • The Ḥanbalī scholar al-Buhūtī stated: “This was publicly known among the Companions, indicating their consensus.”
2. Mālikī View: Some Mālikīs, in one narration, believe Tarāwīḥ consists of thirty-six Rak῾ahs. This practice originated in Medina, where they saw people in Mecca performing twenty Rak῾ahs and then circumambulating the Ka῾bah between every two breaks, making it five breaks with four Ṭawāfs. Since there is no Ṭawāf in the Prophet’s Mosque, they added an extra break for each Ṭawāf, totaling thirty-six Rak῾ahs.
3. Ahl al-Hadith: Some scholars of Ḥadīth argue that Tarāwīḥ is eight Rak῾ahs plus Witr, based on the ḥadīth of ῾Aā᾽ishah in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) never prayed more than eleven Rak῾ahs in Ramaḍān or otherwise. He would pray four Rak῾ahs, do not ask about their beauty and length, then another four, do not ask about their beauty and length, and then three.” ῾Aā᾽ishah said: “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allāh, do you sleep before performing Witr?’ He replied, ‘O ῾Aā᾽ishah, my eyes sleep, but my heart does not.'”
   • In another narration, ῾Aā᾽ishah mentioned: “He would pray ten Rak῾ahs at night, then perform Witr with one Sajah (i.e., one Rak῾ah), and then pray two Rak῾ahs of Fajr, making a total of thirteen Rak῾ahs.”

The narration by ῾Aā᾽ishah may seem ambiguous, as she mentioned, “then he prays three,” referring to Witr, then she asked about his sleep before performing the (three Rak῾ahs) of for Witr. If one assumes the gap between the two sets of four Rak῾ahs and the three Rak῾ahs for Witr included sleep, it could be accepted.

The correct view regarding the number of Rak῾ahs for Tarāwīḥ:

The use of the plural term Tarāwīḥ suggests twenty Rak῾ahs. The prayer is called “Tarāwīḥ,” which is plural, and a one Tarwīḥah is a break taken after every four Rak῾ahs. The plural usage implies at least three occurrences, which means a total of twelve Rak῾ahs, more than eight Rak῾ah.

4. There is no specific number of Rak῾ahs for Tarāwīḥ. This is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, who said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not set a specific number for the night prayers during Ramaḍān. He did not pray more than thirteen Rak῾ahs in Ramaḍān or at other times, but he made the Rak῾ahs long. When ῾Umar gathered the people to pray behind ᾽Ubayy ibn Ka῾b, he led them in twenty Rak῾ahs, then prayed Witr with three. ᾽Ubayy lightened the recitation in proportion to the increased number of Rak῾ahs, which was easier for the followers than lengthening one Rak῾ah. Some of the early generations (Salaf)prayed forty Rak῾ahs and then Witr with three, while others prayed thirty-six Rak῾ahs and Witr with three. All of these practices are permissible. Any of these ways of praying during Ramaḍān is good, and the best option varies depending on the condition of the worshippers. If they can endure the long standing of ten Rak῾ahs and three (for Witr) after them, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did for himself in Ramaḍān and at other times, that is best. If they cannot, then twenty Rak῾ahs is better, which is what most Muslims follow. It is a balance between ten and forty. If they pray forty or another number, that is also permissible, and none of it is disliked. Several Imams, including ᾽Aḥmad, have stated this. Anyone who believes that the night prayer during Ramaḍān is fixed at a certain number by the Prophet (peace be upon him), with no increase or decrease, is mistaken.”

Our view is that there is flexibility in the matter. We distinguish between what people agree upon in the mosque and what a Muslim prays individually. In the mosque, it is best to agree upon the number of Rak῾ahs, considering the congregation’s condition, the time available, and the length of the night. Individually, a person is free to pray as many Rak῾ahs as they wish, beyond the eight.

Fatwā issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr